TEA has been a powerful experience for me. What has happened since has been extremely positive and affirming at a time when the status of visual art in our education system is being devalued.
If this involvement in the programme impacts positively on creative experiences in the classrooms and in the lives of both teachers and their learners , then we have clearly done our job.

“Every art communicates because it expresses. . . Communication is the process of creating participation, of making common what had been isolated and singular; and part of the miracle it achieves is that, in being communicated, the conveyance of meaning gives body and definiteness to the experience of the one who utters as well as to that of those who listen.”John Dewey. “Art As Experience”

The meeting left everyone feeling confident that this group can make a difference. It gives us an opportunity to be the conduit for concerns and to feed back to those people at the heart of art, craft and design education.

The TEA programme is giving the teachers the courage to take more risks in the classroom, to put enjoyment and creativity first. Ironically, this will lead to ‘progress’, but of a different type to that which data managers understand. It will allow children to think, to use imagination, to be risk takers, to collaborate, to make choices and decisions, to ask questions, to discriminate, and to bloody well enjoy themselves.

I offered this opportunity to art teachers/educators who are quite new to the profession and pro-active in establishing the 3D Craft side of the subject into their curriculum models. Everyone jumped at the chance.

All the thank you messages in the world can’t do enough to show appreciation to everyone who was a part of this eventful weekend. At a time when our esteemed Secretary of State for Education seems ignorant of the value of the Arts, being with passionate people who truly do care and will never let go of their beliefs- is inspiring, is important, is invaluable.

Okay, start with the past two weeks and my role as social engagement manager for the Cultural Olympiad Global Rainbow Project, what a fantastic and moving piece of public art. Yvette Mattern is a visionary artist, I met her last in 2005 when she was artist in residence @ Baltic. She has produced the Global Rainbow at other venues but,as […]

What a fun week it was ! Firstly I travelled to London to spend the last two training days with the Action Drawing Associates and Eileen Adams.Thursday night was Baltic night again: this time we had the primary teacher network meeting.

I want to start this blog by directing you to this letter, sent to Michael Gove by artist Bob and Roberta Smith:Letter to Michael Gove
It’s a stunning and powerful letter and will be admired by all of those who value the Arts and visual art and design in the school curriculum, plus the opportunities to study these subjects at 16+.

This week has been one where the dedication and enthusiasm of Art educators has made me realise how worthwhile it is to be part of that community and how pleased I am to be part of it. On Wednesday, I travelled down to Stockton to see a skills share session at the Ian Ramsey School. This was the first session […]